by Zara Zenia
"We'll stop by the palace and drop these off and change clothes, then we'll go to the next spot for the afternoon."
"So you want me to put on the bathing suit?" I asked, feeling nervous about it.
He nodded. "Yes, we're going to be out on the water, you'll want to wear the bathing suit."
"Okay," I smiled, "I've never been out on the water."
"I know."
When we got back to the palace ship, I went into my suite and set the bags down in the living area but took the suit to the bedroom and changed. I touched up my legs with a razor, and then found a pair of shorts to put on over the suit because I didn't want to be so exposed in public. Once I finished, I went next door and met up with Rawklix.
"Ready?" He offered me his hand. On his other arm he carried two life vests.
"What are those for?"
"They require these when you go out on the water on a jet ski."
"A jet ski?" I was excited to do something so fun.
We spent the next several hours riding around on the jet ski. Rawklix even let me drive it for a while, which was amazing.
That night after moving all of my things to his room, we made love again, this time in his bed and then I fell into a deep wonderful sleep in his arms.
Chapter 24
Laurie
The next morning, I waited anxiously in Rawklix's transport with him, watching the video feed of Manzar's men invading the Fortress. Agent Yadav had said that the UEG's surveillance had paid off and Nora was at the Fortress, so the plan to invade it and capture her was a go. There were explosions as the Trilyn soldiers cleared the land mines before they could hurt anyone. The UEG used a ground penetrating radar on a drone to find hidden shafts and traps that Nora'd had dug. They had apparently learned from their last entanglement with her, Rawklix explained. Flags were planted where those were located.
Soon Manzar's Trilyn soldiers, who were massively muscled and big warriors double the size of Human men, had cleared the area and were breaching the wall of the Fortress. They moved in two man teams. Each team had a video feed, showing what was going on. We were following Manzar and his partner, who happened to be in the front.
"He is scary good. It's like watching Rambo and the Terminator together at the same time," I commented, not taking my eyes off the screen.
Rawklix chuckled. "Manzar is in his element. He is the head of our Trilyn forces."
Mazar planted what looked like c-4 on the door and moved off to the side. Once he and his partner were in place, he exploded the door. While it was still smoking, they moved into the darkened building.
"Did someone cut the power to the building?" I asked.
"I believe the UEG has a person at the electrical company and they timed it to be cut off on cue. Of course, Nora probably has a back up generator, so she won't be down for long. Hopefully it will be long enough for Manzar and them to secure her."
The rest of the soldiers were entering the Fortress now, moving room by room, rounding up people inside, and passing them off to the UEG Agents who handcuffed them. It was a massive operation. Finally, Manzar and his partner approached Nora and she shot at them with a handgun, but the bullet was absorbed by their armor and Manzar quickly had her unarmed and in an armlock.
Agent Yadav pushed through and handcuffed her.
"They have her, let's go," I said, moving to stand up.
"We could wait until they have her back at UEG headquarters."
"No, I don't want to chance her getting away like she did from them before."
Rawklix nodded. "All right." He opened the door and helped me out. With an arm around my waist, he guided me through the still smoking grounds and into the Fortress.
Agent Yadav had a sullen Nora by the arm as we met them in the hallway. She looked at me, glaring. "You'll be the downfall of this planet!" she spat at me.
"What is your problem? Why did you kidnap me?" I demanded. My hands were balled into fists on my hips.
She snorted and shook her head. "Ask these Trilyn scum! They plan to destroy Earth as soon as they leave with all of their brides!"
"What? No they don't! Why the hell would you think they'd do that?" I yelled back at her.
"It's true! I have proof!" Her eyes were wide, and she jerked her arm out of Agent Yadav's hand. "It's in my office! You'll see! I have their plans! I intercepted the transmission and recorded it straight from the King of Trilyn himself!"
I frowned and looked at Rawklix who just looked bewildered. "What is she talking about? That's not true, is it?"
Rawklix shook his head. "No. Of course it's not true."
"It is! You can't believe these lying bastards! Just check! In my desk drawer there is a disc, it holds the transmission I picked up!"
Agent Yadav nodded to one of his agents who went back to the office for the disc.
"Still that doesn't give you leave to just kidnap me! Why would you do that?"
"Don't you get it?" she sneered at me. "You are the last bride! The last whore to mate with them! They don't need the rest of us anymore, they can leave and blow up the planet now! You were my ace in the hole, as long as I had you, our planet was safe!"
"But I don't understand. How did you know that I was a genetic match to Rawklix?" I asked.
"It's in your DNA sequencing. I used the blood sample you gave to see if you were a match for your little friend with leukemia. It was pure luck coming across that. Too bad for your little friend, but lucky for me."
"Got it, sir." The Agent held up the disc.
"We'll take it back to headquarters and review it there. Let's get these people into the transports and get them behind bars."
The UEG were the first out of the building with all of their prisoners. Manzar's men followed behind, but he hung back for a moment.
"What she said isn't the whole story. Father was postulating a worse case scenario. I'm on that transmission as well I imagine, if she recorded the entire thing. We were just outside of Earth's atmosphere. Our communication must have bounced off one of her company satellites."
"Father's going to have to explain it, if it all comes out," Rawklix answered.
"You really contemplated destroying a planet full of sentient beings?" I asked, my eyes wide in horror.
Manzar shook his head. "Only if they were hostile toward us and the rest of the universe. We weren't planning an invasion. We were planning a diplomatic approach that would work in both our planets favors."
I bit my lip. "I suppose if we were all like Predators down here, then you would probably have been justified, but still, it's horrible to contemplate." A glance at Manzar made me flinch a little, he sort of resembled one of the Predators from the movies with his long coppery braids and orange slit-like eyes. He definitely looked more beast-like than Rawklix.
Manzar grinned. "If you were, we would have exterminated your planet to save the universe. However, I for one am glad that was not the case. I'd be lost without my wife. She has brought many blessings to me."
I gulped and Rawklix pulled me closer to him.
"We should go, and you should probably call Father about this. We want to get out in front of it so that she cannot sway public opinion in her favor," Rawklix suggested.
Nodding, Manzar took off toward his men.
"Can we go home now?" I asked feeling out of sorts.
"Yes. I know just the thing to cheer you up."
"You do?"
Rawklix smiled. "Lyndrix has the tech ready to take down the barrier keeping you from your memories."
I looked up at him, my heart racing with excitement. "Oh, that's wonderful!" I couldn't wait to have my memories back.
We hurried over to our vehicle and headed back to his palace ship. Once inside, we headed straight to the medical bay.
"Good afternoon, my Prince, Princess."
"Good afternoon, Lyndrix. Your text said you had everything ready to help Laurie with her memories?"
"I do, please, have a seat, Princess."
I did as he asked, and he began pressing electrodes to my forehead and then placed a fitted helmet of some sort over my head.
"Are you ready? This might feel a little strange, but it shouldn't hurt you at all. If you feel anything painful, tell me and we will stop immediately."
"I'm ready." I gripped Rawklix's hand in mine as Lyndrix turned the helmet on. I felt a slight warmness that spread over my head. It got a little warmer in the front and I felt a little lightheaded and then it began to cool down. I blinked my eyes as a million little memories flooded back into my mind.
The scent of Mama's fresh baked banana bread, the way the hay felt as I grabbed eggs from the hens' nests, the softness of the cow's nose as I fed her an apple. The way it felt to crunch my boots into the snow. Climbing trees and playing with my best friends, Melanie and Dana. Dana getting sick with leukemia and me getting tested to see if I was a match. My brother Daniel as he teased me about a boy I liked. His name had been Ethan. My kidnapping…
I gasped and shrieked shoving myself and the chair I was in away from Rawklix and Lyndrix.
"What's wrong?" Rawklix asked, his voice anxious and worried as he cautiously approached me again.
I blinked up at him, breathing hard. I shook my head. "Sorry, just… need a moment." I wiped a hand over my face and steadied my breathing. I knew it was just a memory, but it was the most scared I'd ever been in my life. I needed a moment to process it.
Rawklix squatted down next to me but didn't touch me. A glance at his face told me he was extremely worried about me, and I reached for his hand. "I'm okay, really."
"You sure?"
I nodded. "It… it was just the memory of being kidnapped." I swallowed hard. "I could have done without that memory, actually."
Lyndrix chuckled. "I imagine so, but you have to take the good along with the bad. It is how we grow."
"They came up behind me as I was opening the car door. Two men. I couldn't fight them off. One of them grabbed me from behind and lifted me off my feet. He had my arms trapped and I tried to kick out at them, but the other grabbed my feet. It happened so fast. They tossed me into the back of a van. I remember the sound as I landed hard on the floor. There was a woman there," I blinked, recognizing her now, "it was Nora. She had a needle on a syringe in her hand… she stuck it in my arm, I screamed, and then… there is nothing else." I frowned. "Wait… I can… I remember waking up in bed and wondering where I was, who I was… Nora was there and said she was my adoptive mother, the lying bitch!" I swore. My chest heaving as I recalled everything, even the fact that I never swore. Mama would have rinsed my mouth out with soap! "Oh, God… Mama." I started crying.
Rawklix pulled me into his arms and held me.
"She died and I never got to say goodbye," I sobbed. "I never got to tell her I loved her… Nora robbed me of my last moments with her…" Wracking sobs took over me as Rawklix picked me up and carried me away.
He rocked me in his arms until my sobs subsided and I was spent. "I remember when my mother died. I wasn't with her when it happened. Because we didn't know the virus struck only females, Father made us stay away," he said softly. "I understand your pain, but, you have to know, she knows you loved her. She knows you wanted to be with her. She doesn’t blame you for not being there."
I sniffled and nodded into his shoulder. "Thank you." It was what I needed to hear. "I want to see my brother, I want him to know that I'm okay, I don't want him carrying around the pain of not knowing what happened to me."
"We'll make that happen," he assured me as he kissed away my tears.
Chapter 25
Rawklix
We awoke the next morning to Fellnix delivering breakfast in bed for the both of us. I smiled as Laurie hid under the covers. I was sure her beautiful body was covered in that lovely pink shade again.
"Thank you, Fellnix, though I think Laurie would prefer I meet you at the door next time." I chuckled.
Fellnix looked confused. "Why, my Prince?"
I raised a brow and gave him a moment to consider why.
"Oh. Oh I see." Fellnix looked flustered for the first time ever. "I… I'll just leave you alone then, forgive me…"
"It's okay, Fellnix!" Laurie called from under the blankets. "Just a little warning next time that you plan to serve breakfast in here will be fine!"
I laughed harder.
"Of course, Princess, I am so sorry I didn't even think!" Fellnix rushed out of the room.
Laurie peeked her head above the covers and glanced across the room at the open door. "Is he gone?"
Nodding, I moved the large tray Fellnix had set down on the bed and got up to close the door. "I have never seen him so rattled." I grinned.
"Well, it smells divine, is that coffee?" she asked.
"Yes, do you want some?"
"Please." She pushed herself up to sitting, the covers tucked under her arms across her chest.
I poured her a cup from the urn and handed it to her. "Move a little closer and we can share the tray."
She scooted closer to my side of the bed and once I was beside her, I settled the tray across both our legs. We ate the sumptuous breakfast and then took a long shower. While Laurie blew dry her hair, I watched her. She was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen and only grew more beautiful the longer I knew her. She parted her hair and braided each side and then got dressed. Sadly. If I could, I'd keep her naked and in my bed always. The thought made me grin.
"What are you so happy about?" she asked, curious.
I shook my head. "Just having you here makes me happy."
She grinned then too. "So what ar—"
A knock sounded on the door and I looked at it with a sigh. "Yeah?"
"Are you two going to lay about in bed all day or are you going to come out here and join the rest of us while we figure out how we are going to dismantle Nora's narrative?" Lortnam called through the door.
Laurie strode over and pulled the door open. "We're not even in bed," she commented, rolling her eyes.
I chuckled and got up to follow her out of the room.
Lortnam laughed too as we moved down the hall to the living room. "All right, we're all here, shall we get started?" he said, sitting next to Kelly.
"First of all, let me say, that I never would have suggested anything like exterminating Earth if I had known at the time that you all were such a friendly peoples," Father started as he paced in front of the tv. "As the King of my people, I have to be aware of all possibilities and outcomes, therefore I have to prepare for those worse case scenarios."
"Manzar explained the same yesterday, your Highness," Laurie commented. "And I think our world leaders would agree with you. We have a million and one movies about alien visitors to our planet, so I think you will find that the majority of us will understand your thinking on being prepared for the worst."
"So what exactly is on the disc?" Darbnix asked.
"I haven't heard it yet. Have any of you?" I asked.
"I think we should call David," Cat suggested as she leaned into Akrawn's side. "He will have listened to it."
"I agree," Akrawn replied. "I'll call." He pulled out his phone and dialed.
"Yadav."
Akrawn put him on speaker phone. "David, we are wondering if you might join us, we are having a family meeting to discuss Nora's allegations."
"Yes, of course. I will be there shortly. By the way, we've been attempting to interrogate Nora and her people, but so far, they aren't breaking."
"I figured as much," Akrawn replied.
"I'll see you all in a bit." Yadav hung up.
"While we wait, any suggestions on how we should handle it if the audio gets leaked?" Darbnix asked.
"It might be best to hold a press conference before it does," Cat said. She was leaning forward, her hands clasped together. "Let the people know that you are so happy to be here among them, that all of your sons have found brides now and you are looking forward to a mutually beneficial relationship with the people of Earth. T
hat you are glad they were so welcoming to the Trilyn people and not hostile."
"Maybe also, talk about the galaxy and how being a planetary leader one must plan for the worst but pray for the best outcomes for all planets involved," Kelly suggested. "Laurie is right, when she said that Humans have done the same. You only have to watch a few alien movies to know that."
"I have seen a few of these movies." Father frowned. "The aliens portrayed in them have varied from friendly to hostile, but generally have been met with hostility by Humans. I must say it does give one pause."
"You're not wrong. ET was a friendly alien and the adults in charge wanted to experiment on him. Humans can be pretty hostile." Laurie frowned. "I'm glad our current leaders kept their heads and didn't try any of that."
"Well, there are some," Manzar started. "I didn't get a very friendly welcome in New New Orleans. The Humans First terrorist group are pretty hostile. Still they don't represent your entire planet of people, thankfully."
Andi gripped his hand and smiled up at him. "The President has done his best to eradicate that particular group, as you know."
"The UEG too has been working hard at dismantling their network," Cat added.
There was a knock on the door and Fellnix answered it. David Yadav, briefcase in hand, joined us. "Good afternoon, everyone."
"David, I'm glad you could join us," Akrawn said. "Please, have a seat."
He nodded and took a seat in one of the chairs Fellnix had brought in from the dining room. "Thank you. I suppose you are all wondering what's on that disc or Nora's?"
"We are." Father crossed his arms impatiently.
"Well, it's not great, I have to tell you, it's also only a portion of the transmission. The worst part of the transmission, in fact. Some of our people were able to find the original transmission in its entirety from her data system. She had it protected with an encrypted firewall. I will play both for you." He reached into his briefcase and pulled out a laptop. After a few seconds the transmission began to play.
"…we can just take the ones needed and then exterminate the rest of the planet." There was no doubt it was my father's voice.
